Oral

Over 60% of US children under 5 are in some form of non-parental child care. About half of these are in regulated child care facilities. Among the health issues confronting these children are social and emotional health. The expulsion rate for preschool children who exhibit challenging behaviors in child care is greater than the expulsion rate for public school grades K-12. Child care health consultants (CCHCs) and mental health consultants (MHCs), separately and in collaboration, have been increasingly addressing mental health issues in child care. In this session five child care and child mental health experts will discuss the need for mental health consultation in child care and early education, who CCHCs and MHCs are, and how they are trained, how to find a MHC or CCHC. Examples of programs in which CCHCs and MHCs are working together in child care classrooms with both teachers and families will be featured, and what we know, and what we need to know, about the effectiveness of MHCs and CCHCs will be discussed.

Session Objectives: 1. To identify the unique and complementary roles of child care health consultants (CCHC) and mental health consultants (MHC) working in early care and education (ECE) programs. 2. To discuss the development of the roles of the CCHC and MHC nationally and regionally. 3. To identify ways to coordinate consultation services provided to ECE programs, including mental health and general child health. 4. To summarize the research showing the effectiveness of CCHCs and MHCs in ECE programs. 5. To propose models for providing comprehensive consultation in child care through coordinated training of CCHCs and MHCs, coordinated activities in ECE programs, and supervision for consultants working in ECE programs.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)